Garter



R E L G E Z M. A.

April A2o 1926.

GARTER Filed DSC. 2l. 1923 Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

1,581,503 AlATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED MAY zweren, 0F NEw'iomvMAssACHUsETTs.

' GARTER. Y

Application filed December 21, 1923. Sera1'No.`681,980.

To all whom t may concern: f f

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. ZIEGLER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton, county of Middlesex, and

State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Garters, of whichthe following description, in connection withV the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts. l

This invention relates to garters and the object-is to provide a garter of. superior wearing qualities and of greatly increased comfort vas compared with those at present known.

My invention will be understood by reference to the following description of the illustrative embodiment thereof which vI have shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: f

Fig. 1 is an elevation of' the garter; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 2-2 land 3 3 of Fig. 1 respectively and illustrates the garter in use.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown in Fig. 1 a garter illustrative of my invention and whichfma-y be as there shown of the kind more fully describedin my application 4for patent Serial bld-542,011, filed March 8. 1922, and embodying a socalled pa'd' of a general lozenge form from which depends the clasp "(l to be Secured to the sock and from one side of "which projects the leg. encircling band 9 which, as is customary, is ylooped back through the body Vof a clasp member 11 provided with the eye 13 andl is secured to itself by means of the adjustingbuckle 15. In the example of the invention shown, as more fully described in my prior application referred to, the eye 13 of the clasp 11 takes over a stud or post 17 whichA 1s connectedA to the side of the pad 5 by a short 'piece 19 of inextensible material', the whole being covered by a loo 21 of material similarto the lband 9 which projects from-the side ofthe pad and through the overlying portion of which the neck ofthe stud 17 projects." This has the advantage of removing the clasp 11 from the face of the pad 5 which is usually covered with relatively fine fabric which would be easily worn by the abrasion of the clasp and the loop 21 also has relatively soft fiexiblel corners which are not likely to gouge into the leg.

One of the defects of a garter construction of this type and which is perhaps inherent in any 'garment having a constrict-` ing band encircling a portion of the body 1s that it exerts pressure against the leg 60. and may cut into the same or become irksome'after continued wear. This defect has been considerably emphasized by the common adoption among men of knee-length under-drawers so that the garter encircles Y Vthe bare leg. One result has been the general development of the so-called wide web garter in which the' band-9 is of'relatively great width as in the garter herein illustrated but this has notentirely done away with the defect referred to. f

fwhich I havexchosen for purposes of illusstration I utilize' the buckle 15 and yclasp 11 to obtain the desired results to apractical and beneficial extent particularly as to. that portionofthe leg encircling band 9 which is doublefand which thus is stiffer and has more unyieldingedges and is more likely to cut into the flesh.` At the same time Iy obtain certain other' advantages as lwill appear as the, description proceeds and obviate the disadvantages which have 'arisen 85 in the ordinry type of garter from the use of such metal iittings'-which, being stiff-fand projecting beyond the edges ofthe leg band proper, have tended topress into and Vmark the leg. t y

In accordance with my invention I may provide at suitable intervals throughout the leg band stilfening means which will',hold it transversely cupped with the convexity toward the leg and with the edges of the band which tend vto dig into the' flesh held away from the leg. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated I Iutilize for these stifteningmeanslthe clasp `11y andthebuckle 15 which,'lying at opposite-'ends ofthe doubled 100 portion of the' webwhichv is naturally the lstiffest and most'uny-i'elding, will *have the desired effectV upon this portion lof the garter and obtain thedesiredvresults to a practical extent. f As shownmore particularly in Fi gs. 105

middle of the band to nothing at the edges with a great increase in comfort. The ends of the relatively stiff buckles are Aturned away from the leg and in ordinary use will even be somewhat spaced therefrom as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time these fittings,

as best shown in Fig. 3, hold the portion of the band between them, in this instance the double portion which is relatively stiff, in convex forni with the convexity to-ward the leg, as shown in Fig. 3, and hold the edges of the band which are likely to cut into the flesh directed away from the leg so that the pressure of this portion of the band upon the leg is the pressure of an extended rounded surface instead of the pressing in of a flat surface with palpable edges. The edges of the band being slightly spacedfrom the leg permit ventilation and the garter is cooler and less irksome to the wearer.

Further advantages arise from the curved construction of the clasp V11 as best shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted 4that the eye portion 13 is presented in a plane offset from the rest of the clasp and catching it around the post 17 -is thus facilitated as the remainder of the clasp 11 is not in the way but on the contrary the arrangement is such that the eye 13 can lbe projected forward and reached out to engage the post 17 with substantially as much facility as if it were not attached to a relatively long transverse member'. Furthermore, this action can take place from any desired angle and it will be noted from Fig. 2 that thebearing of the clasp 11 is a relatively restricted one and the ends of the clasp are away'from theleg `and this facilitates swivelling movement of the clasp around the post 17 permitting the garter" to adapt itself to different sizes and shapes of leg and to the particular angle at which the band has been brought around the leg and to any movement of the leg while the garter is being worn.

This spacing of the ends of the clasp 13 away from-the leg also brings them away from the portion 21 of the garter or similar part carrying the post 17. This prevents their rubbing on the face of this part and consequently the garter wears out less quickly than it otherwise would. The construction furthermore prevents an end of the clasp 13 in its swivelling movement from buckling up or folding one of the free corners of the member 21 causing a projection which would press into the esh and cause discomfort. v

I have described in detail the particular embodiment of my invention shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing and in this type I have utilized suitable forms of the customary metallic fittings for attaining certain objects of the invention and at the same time attaining certain other advantages which will be understood from a perusal of the` preceding description. It will be obvious, however, that within the scope of my invention the different constructions attaining certain only of the various advantages enumerated and other means than the fittings illustrated may be utilized for effecting the desired results. `lilith these considerations in mind I shall inA the following claims express `what I consider to be new and `desire to secure by Letters Patent.

Claims.

1. A garter comprising a leg encircling band having an adjusting buckle and a clasp each curved throughout its length to provide a convex inner surface whicliis toward the leg when the garter is inuse.

2. A garter comprising a leg encircling band having a post and eye connect-ion including a. clasp member comprising a body through which the end of the band is threaded and having a substantially central eye to engage the post, said body being curved throughout its length to provide a convex inner surface which is toward the leg when the garter is in use, whereby the eye portion is presented inwardly of the marginal portions and its engagement with the post-facilitated and the marginal portions are held spaced from the post` supporting portion of the garter to minimize wear on the latter and to facilitate swivelling movement of the connection.

3. A garter comprising a leg encircling band having its end doubled back and secured by an adjusting buckle curved throughout its length to provide a convex inner sur'- face which is toward the leg when the garter is in use, said buckle holding the margins of the relatively stiff doubled band away'from the leg. y

1. A garter comprising4 a leg encircling band of flexible webbing having associated therewith a plurality of transversely extending stifi'ening members each curved throughout its length and having a convex inner surface, said members being thus adapted to hold at least a portion of the band with the edges thereof directed away from the leg.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. 1 Y

ALFRED MAYZIEGLER. j 

